Judge, 1891-03-28 · page 15 of 22
Judge — March 28, 1891 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising content** disguised as satirical editorial. The "cartoon" depicts a barber suffering grotesque facial afflictions—labeled "the victim of 'cheap' IMPURE SHAVING SOAP"—with exaggerated sores and disfigurement. The satire targets barbers who buy cheap soap to save costs. The argument: penny-pinching on inferior products backfires through lost customers and reputation damage, plus causes clients painful skin conditions (burning, smarting, "distressing facial humors"). The visual exaggeration mocks this false economy. The real message is an advertisement for **Williams' Shaving Soap**, which claims "absolute PURITY" combined with medicinal properties, positioned as the superior choice. The pitch warns: don't gamble with cheap alternatives—insist on Williams for "soothing, refreshing and Healing" results. This reflects early 20th-century advertising strategy: use satirical humor and health warnings to sell branded products as safe alternatives to generic competitors.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
—AND of the victim - ; f er of “cheap” IMPURE SHAVING SOAP. SOME kinds of ‘economy (?) are costly! For instance, your Barber can'¢ afford to buy or use an zmpure Shaving Soap. A few cents a pound saved at the start will never pay for loss of custom and reputation. Such “economy” (?) tends to your discomfort (burning, smarting, irritated face) surely, and to distressing facial humors, probably. His trifling gain becomes his tremendous loss—and yours too. MAKE A POINT | DON’T TAKE CHANCES— NO CHAPPED HANDS ____“WILMAMs"suavind soars” | INSIST’ ON WILLIAMS’. |_""“"* Forrotter repeee oon” # bsulute PURITY—combined with Mepicinat Properties of marked value—render WILLIAMS’ SOAP soothing, refreshing and Healing, FoR A 20 STAMP WE SEND A SAMPLE FoR TOILET USE. THe J. B, WILLIAMS COMPANY, GLASTONBURY, CONNECTICUT, U. S. A, “as r 0 comicbooks.com